SERVICE RELATED – MICROPHONES & WIRED & WIRELESS SYSTEMS

QUESTION: Which microphone is best suited to?... ANSWER: It is important to bear in mind that there are no set rules when selecting a microphone. For example, some internationally recognised vocalists use instrument microphones for world tours. Sound quality is largely a matter of personal taste. Some things do need to be considered such as dynamic v’s condenser, or whether the microphone you require needs to be rugged. This website has been designed to guide you towards finding the most suitable microphone to your needs.

QUESTION: Which Shure microphone can I use for podcasting? ANSWER: Many Shure microphones can be used for podcasts. If a quick and simple Plug & Play solution is what you are after then the PG27-USB or PG42-USB are ideal. If you already have an XLR microphone and wish to use it for your podcasts we’d recommend buying an X2U. This is an XLR to USB converter, cutting out the need for you to buy a sound card. It offers great benefits including zero latency monitoring.

QUESTION: How can I connect my microphone to my computer? ANSWER: The fastest and simplest way of connecting your XLR microphone to your computer (if you do not already have a soundcard) is using a Shure X2U – an XLR to USB converter.

QUESTION: Which is the best microphone for me? ANSWER: This is probably THE most frequently asked to Shure engineers - nevertheless there is no generally accepted answer as a lot of it goes down to personal taste. There are standard recommendations for the different areas of application. We can however recommend you a suitable microphone with our product videos and microphone finder.

QUESTION: What is the difference between an SM57 and an SM58? ANSWER: The SM57 and SM58 microphones are based on the same cartridge design. The main difference is in the grille design. The SM58 was designed for vocal application and it uses a ball grille that acts as an effective pop filter. The SM57 was designed as an instrument microphone where a smaller grille size is preferred. In this application, pop and wind are not usually a concern. The SM57 uses an integral resonator/grille assembly, where grille is actually a part of the cartridge. These two grille designs place the diaphragm of each microphone in a different acoustical environment. The distance from the top of the grille to the diaphragm is shorter on the SM57 compared to that of the SM58. This allows for a closer miking position with a more pronounced proximity effect. The different resonator/grille assembly design of the SM57 is also responsible for its slightly higher output above 5 kHz.

QUESTION: Does the presence of phantom power effect/damage balanced, low impedance dynamic microphones? ANSWER: It is not possible to damage or impair the performance of a balanced microphone which is correctly connected to any standard phantom supply.

QUESTION: Can I mix and match Shure’s different wireless platforms? ANSWER: No, only transmitters and receivers from the same platform will work. E.g., A PGX transmitter will not work with an SLX receiver, but will work with a PGX receiver.

QUESTION: Which Shure styli should I use? ANSWER: Much the same as microphones there is no one styli for each specific type of music. It is once again down to personal taste. In terms of popularity the top of the line Shure Whitelabel is our bestseller for all forms of electronic music, alongside the M35 & the M35x. For many years our multi-award winning M-447 has been the first choice for turntablists and DJ’s of hip-hop, dub, dubstep and the like because of their high output and great bass.

QUESTION: What are sound isolating earphones? ANSWER: Sound isolating earphones were originally developed as Personal Monitor Systems to allow musicians to hear their own performances in loud onstage environments. Sound isolating earphones work by using soft, pliable sleeves to block background noise, allowing small, high-performance drivers to deliver incredibly precise sound directly to the ear. These professional-quality earphones are now available for use with all of your portable digital devices.

QUESTION: What is the difference between Sound Isolating & Noise Cancelling? ANSWER: The seal created by a sound isolating earphone physically blocks most frequencies of background noise. Active noise cancellation "headphones" are generally larger, heavier and battery-driven. The active cancellation process negates selected frequencies through a complex process that can even introduce unwanted artifacts into the resulting audio. The natural sound isolation properties of a properly fitted in ear earphone exceeds the performance of even the most expensive active noise cancellation alternatives.

QUESTION: How can I detect a counterfeit Shure microphone? ANSWER: First of all, Shure recommends that you should always purchase your microphone from a Shure authorised dealer. Shure is constantly battling against counterfeiters. If you think you have purchased a counterfeit microphone (in the UK) please contact the Shure Distribution UK sales desk on 01992 703058 for advice.

QUESTION: How can I reduce the risk of buying a counterfeit product? ANSWER: First and foremost, buy from an authorised Shure dealer whether on-line or from the store. You can find a list of dealers in your vicinity in our Dealer section. You can also give us a call at 01992 703058 to find a retailer in your vicinity.

If you choose to buy from on-line dealers and/or on-line auction sites like eBay, we highly recommend you exercise caution when:

• You are shopping for SM or Beta models • Prices offered are well below the market average. Don’t get taken in by ‘Certificates of Originality’ or guarantees that are offered. They too are often as fake as the counterfeits.

QUESTION: I purchased my earphones abroad, will this affect my warranty? ANSWER: The Shure warranty is global so as long as you have proof of purchase to show the warranty is still current then we will replace for you.

QUESTION: I have lost my receipt, what should I do? ANSWER: If you purchased your earphones online then it should be very simple to obtain a proof of purchase. A confirmation email from the company or online store will suffice as long as it shows the date of purchase and lists what you bought. If you purchased from a shop then it is always worth contacting them to see if they are able to forward you a copy of the transaction by email. Unfortunately a credit card statement is not suitable as a proof of purchase.

QUESTION: I registered the earphones on www.shure.com, will this act as a proof of purchase? ANSWER: Unfortunately not. This information is only accessible in the US and just registering that you own a set of Shure earphones is not enough information to act as a proof of purchase.